We studied reciprocal hybrids of Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. These two subspecies of house mouse were found to differ in their social behaviour, the former being less aggressive than the latter. The paternal effect on aggression (observed repeatedly in laboratory mice) was not found. However, F2 generation mice were less aggressive than those from the F1 generation, and the maternal effect was also significant in a homogenous test set.
everal primer sets were described for PCR amplification of the Sry gene that became very suitable method for sex identification in mammals. We tested applicability of two primer sets for sex identification in one bat and 12 rodent species from Central Europe. Rapid DNA extraction with non-ionic detergents, which is very suitable for large-scale population studies, was used. Primers SRY-A from Pomp et al. (1995) did not amplify Sry fragment in males of Myotis myotis, four species of Microtus, and Clethrionomys glareolus, while amplification was successful in four species of Apodemus, two species of Mus, and Sciurus vulgaris. On the other hand, primers from Sánchez et al. (1996) gave clear Sry band in males of all tested species, only with one exception, i.e. male of Sciurus vulgaris.
Mice belonging to the Mus musculus species complex from the north-eastern Iranian Plateau (Khorasan province) have been genetically characterised for allozymic variation, mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome type and compared with samples from other geographic regions. The present study shows the existence of a transition zone between pure M. m. musculus in the North and animals related to M. m. castaneus in the South. The origin of this transition (primary or secondary contact) and the various biogeographic scenarios about its origin are discussed in the light of these new data sets. The possible role of the Harirud valley in the geographic connection between Central Asia and the Middle East is discussed.
Díky specifickému typu dědičnosti Y chromozómových a mitochondriálních DNA polymorfismů a jejich distribuci v současných světových populacích je možné vyjasnit doposud spornou problematiku týkající se podílu neolitických zemědělců versus paleolitických lovců-sběračů v Evropě. Pro zmapování biologického původu obyvatelstva na území České republiky v mužské linii bylo pozorováno zastoupení různě starých Y chromozómových haploskupin. Do testovaného souboru bylo zařazeno 180 vzorků, které pocházely ze šesti lokalit jižní části České republiky. Z 10 detekovaných haploskupin bylo 6 zastoupeno s frekvencí 5 % či vyšší. Haploskupiny I, R1a a R1b, jejichž geografická distribuce odráží průběh postglaciální rekolonizace Evropy, byly u české populace zaznamenány s celkovou relativní četností 80,6 %. Naopak ty haploskupiny, které mohly být do Evropy zaneseny až neolitickou expanzí (E3b, G a J2) byly na našem území detekovány s frekvencí pouhých 15 %. Ostatní vzorky náležely k poměrně vzácně se vyskytujícím haploskupinám. Zůstává ovšem nedořešenou otázkou, do jaké míry se lidé nesoucí „paleolitické“ haploskupiny (zejména R1a) podíleli na demické difůzi, kterou zemědělské hospodaření před 10 tisíci lety na Předním východě odstartovalo. and Thanks to the specific type of inheritance of Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms, and their distribution in modern populations, it is possible to cast light on the hitherto contentious problems relating to the contributions of Neolithic agriculturalists as opposed to Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers in Europe. For mapping the biological origin of the population on the territory of the Czech Republic in the male line, the presence was monitored of various old Y chromosome haplogroups. The test sample included 180 samples from six locations in the southern part of the Czech Republic. Of the 10 haplogroups detected, 6 were present at a frequency of 5 % or higher. Haplogroups I, R1a and R1b, the distribution of which reflects the course of the post-glacial recolonisation of Europe, were recorded in the Czech population with an overall relative frequency of 80.6 %. By contrast, those haplogroups which could have been brought to Europe only as late as during the Neolithic expansion (E3b, G and J2) were detected with a frequency of only 15 %. The remaining samples contained relatively rarely appearing haplogroups. The question remains unanswered, of course, as to what extent those people carrying ‘Palaeolithic’ haplogroups (particularly R1a) contributed to the demic diffusion triggered by agricultural management in the Near East some ten thousand years ago.
Despite the long-term study of the house mouse hybrid zone in Europe knowledge of its course in some areas is still rather vague. Comparisons of different portions of the zone showed some common patterns, however, several discordances were also revealed, the most remarkable being introgression of the Y chromosome. We sampled mice along the presumed course of the secondary contact zone between two subspecies, Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus, from Schleswig-Holstein to southern Bavaria, in order to localize more precisely its position. A second aim was to reveal whether introgression shows some general rules obscured until now by studies of geographically isolated transects of the zone. We employed maternally (mtDNA), paternally (Y), and biparentally inherited markers and related their introgression patterns to the hybrid index (HI) based on five X-linked loci. While transition of autosomal loci across the zone was congruent with changes in HI, mtDNA showed bidirectional introgression with alien alleles occurring far behind the zone. Finally, the Y chromosome displayed asymmetric unidirectional introgression of the musculus type into domesticus background. We discuss evolutionary forces shaping these patterns.